Environmental Policy Task Force: Activities at
the April 7 Environmental Policy Task Force meeting chaired by
David Ridenour of The National Center for Public Policy Research
(202/543-4110).

New "Index of Leading Environmental Indicators" to be
Released for Earth Day

Steve Hayward of the Pacific Research Institute reported that
the Pacific Research Institute, in conjunction with the Fraser
Institute of Canada, will release for Earth Day a "Index
of Leading Environmental Indicators." The Index will provide
easy-to-read charts, graphs and other quantifiable information
showing changes in environmental quality in numerous categories
(such as air and water quality; forest health; the amount of toxic
chemicals exposed to the environment; the amount of land set aside
for parks, wilderness and wildlife; species proliferation; chemical
residues in fish and birds; more) for the U.S. and Canada. Contact
Steve Hayward at 703/299-8368 or 415/989-0833 or [email protected].

EPA's Own Science Advisors Fail to Endorse New EPA
Air Standards; Costs May Be As High As $383 Billion

Wendy Lee Gramm of the Regulatory Analysis Program of the Center
for Study of Public Choice at George Mason University delivered
to the Task Force the program's in-depth analysis of the EPA's
newly-proposed air quality standards. The analysis points out
that while the EPA estimates that partial compliance with the
new standards would cost between $600 million and $6.3 billion
annually for ozone and $6.3 billion annually for particulate matter,
the program's analysis is that the true costs would be between
$54 billion and $328 billion per year for ozone and $55 billion
per year for fine particles. Further, the program notes, the EPA's
proposals "do not offer a solid case for adopting more stringent
ozone and particulate matter standards. EPA's science advisors
to not endorse either proposal on public health grounds... In
the case of ozone, more than 98% of the health benefits EPA claims
the proposed standard will produce is based on one study that
appears not to have been reviewed by EPA's science advisory committee."
Contact Wendy Lee Gramm at 202/966-1479.

House Judiciary Members Plan Reform of Asset Forfeiture
Law

Pat Callahan of the American Association of Small Property
Ownership reported on the pending introduction of the Asset Fortfeiture
Reform Act. Sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry
Hyde (R-IL) and Judiciary Committee Members Rep. Bob Barr (R-FL),
Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), the
bill provides seven reforms to a law the bill's sponsors' say
is sometimes used in "terribly unjust ways." Under the
present law, say the sponsors, "believe it or not, federal
officials have the power to seize your home, your car, your business
and your bank account -- all without indictment, hearing or trial."
Callahan recited some horror stories about the impact the present
law has had on law-abiding citizens and distributed a "Dear
Colleague" letter written by the sponsors, along with a list
of the reform bill's provisions. Contact Patricia Callahan at
202/244-6277 or [email protected].

New Treaty Would Undermine 4th and 5th Amendment
Protections

Amy Ridenour of The National Center for Public Policy Research
distributed for signatures a letter she is circulating questioning
the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Treaty that would undermine
Americans' 4th and 5th Amendment Constitutional protections. Contact
Amy Ridenour at 202/543-4110 or [email protected]
(http://www.nationalcenter.org).

Fran Smith and Rich Zipperer of Consumer Alert discussed Consumer
Alert's new "National Consumer Coalition," a coalition
of 21 organizations committed to educating the public about the
value to consumers of market-oriented approaches. The coalition,
which includes such groups as Americans for Tax Reform, The National
Center for Public Policy Research, the Heartland Institute, Citizens
for a Sound Economy, CFACT and the Competitive Enterprise Institute,
focuses particularly on the issues of the environment, finance
(including Social Security and privacy issues), food/agriculture,
health and safety, taxation, transportation, telecommunications,
utilities/postal service and housing. Other free market organizations
are invited to join. Contact Fran Smith and Rich Zipperer at 202/467-5807
or [email protected].

David Almasi of Defenders of Property Rights announced that
Defenders will host a "1997 National Property Rights Conference"
on May 13 in Arlington, Virginia. Confirmed speakers include Ken
Starr, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Chief Judge Loren Smith and
U.S. Representative Bob Barr (R-GA). For information of attending
or sponsoring the conference contact David Almasi at 202/686-4197
or [email protected].

Clinton's Utah Land-Grab to Cost Federal Taxpayers
$5-$10 Billion

Paul Clark of the Coalition for National Sovereignty discussed
unresolved legal issues surrounding President Clinton's pre-election
Escalante land grab in Utah, including a lawsuit based on the
fact that state legislatures are supposed to be allowed to approve
-- or disapprove -- such federal actions, yet the Utah legislature
was not consulted. Clark noted that the Escalante land grab may
cost U.S. taxpayers between $5-$10 billion dollars to resolve
land claims. He also reported that legislation has been introduced
in the U.S. Congress to further codify land-grab limitations on
the federal government. Contact Paul Clark at 301/982-1360 or
[email protected].

Big Labor Opposes "Global Warming" Pacts

John Shanahan of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution reported
that the AFL-CIO and other unions representing 32 million union
members are opposing "global warming" agreements that
are binding only on developed nations. "This could create
some real problems for the Clinton Administration," he noted.
Contact John Shanahan at 703/351-4969 or [email protected]
(http://www.schoolreport.com/AdTI).

Majority of Public Favors Replacing the Endangered
Species Act with Incentive System

Myron Ebell of Frontiers for Freedom distributed a one-page
comparison of polls on the Endangered Species Act from June 1995
and July 1996. The polls show that public support for replacing
the Endangered Species Act with incentives to landowners to protect
species on their property grew from 35% to 49% from 1995-96. By
contrast, in 1996 11% favored continuing the present Endangered
Species Act and 33% favored keeping the present act with the addition
of compensation to people for property lost under the act. For
a copy of the comparison of the polls' results and the polls'
exact wording contact Myron Ebell at 703/527-8282 or [email protected]
(http://www.ff.org).

Citizens for a Sound Economy launched a new weekly radio program
"It's Your Money" on April 5. The program, hosted by
CSE Communications Director Brent Bahler, looks at the many ways
government policies cost Americans money and is carried nationally
by the Radio America network. In Washington D.C. it is heard from
11:05 am to noon Saturdays on WZFH AM 1390. Contact Brent Bahler
at 202/783-3870 or [email protected]
(http://www.cse.org). *

Scoop is published by The National Center for Public Policy
Research to provide information about the activities of the conservative
movement. Coverage of a meeting or statement in Scoop does not
imply endorsement by The National Center for Public Policy Research.
Copyright 1997 The National Center for Public Policy Research.
Reprints of articles in Scoop permitted provided source is credited.
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